9 Things That Are Dirtier Than Your Toilet

Ah, the toilet. The world thinks it's the yuckiest thing that ever existed. But surprisingly, it isn't.

According to Dr. Chuck Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, the toilet seat is in fact "one of the cleanest things you'll run across in terms of micro-organism."

Want to know what's grimier? Here are ten things you come in close contact with daily that are exponentially filthier.

Check 'em out:

1) THE BEARD

Did you know that beards are dirtier than the lavatory seat? Back in 1967, scientists found out that more bacteria take refuge in the faces of bearded men than that of the toilet seat. The hospitable environment of the beard facilitates the spread of organisms such as staphylococcus, which causes hair follicle infections.

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2) THE AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE

After researchers took swab samples from various ATMs and public toilets, they found out that the bacteria that causes diarrhea and other illnesses are also present on ATMs. Additionally, each button of the machine contains about 1,200 germs. Yikes! So, make sure you always carry an alcohol with you.

3) THE CARPET

The carpet adds warmth and comfort, and feels good on bare feet. But with all the skin cells shed by humans, it becomes pretty mucky. In fact, according to Men's Health , it's 4,000 times dirtier than the toilet. And what's even scarier is that the bacterial infection called streptococcus pneumoniae are found on the carpet. This bacteria causes serious diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis.

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4) MOBILE DEVICES

Can't get your hands off your beloved smartphone? What if we tell you that it has ten times more bacteria than your loo? It does. In fact, a study shows that the amount of bugs present in your phone can cause nausea and stomach upsets. Call it coincidence but around the same time the study was released, it was reported that a man in Uganda contracted Ebola after stealing a phone in a hospital located near an Ebola outbreak.

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5) THE KEYBOARD

Have a habit of eating while working on your laptop? Don't! According to Dailymail.co.uk, keyboards are five times filthier than a toilet seat.

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6) THE DOORKNOB

The doorknob is one of the dirtiest items around because of the sheer number of people that touch it on a daily basis. Just imagine all people who hold it, transferring the germs from their hands. To back up our claim, we found a study where viruses were put onto doorknobs in a workplace. The study found out that it only took a few hours before the viruses can be found on 40 to 60 percent of the individuals in the workplace.

7) ELEVATOR BUTTONS

According to Infection Control Today, lift buttons are found to carry 40 times more bacteria than the toilet seat. Even if they are cleaned regularly, the potential for build-up of bacteria is high because different people with different kinds of bacteria come in contact with it. Among the bacteria likely to be found is E. coli which usually causes diarrhea or in a worst case scenario, kidney failure.

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8) MONEY

Washing your hands after handling cash is a good idea because according to a report by the Independent.co.uk, a huge majority of bank notes carry high levels of bacteria. The report cited Dr. Ron Cutler, a senior lecturer at the school of biological and chemical sciences at Queen Mary, University of London, who "analyzed 200 notes and 45 credit cards and discovered that 26% of the notes and 47% of the cards had high levels of bacteria." He even found E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus which can lead to infections.

9) SPONGES

This kitchen stuff is the dirtiest of 'em all. Since it gets reused over and over again, it contains as much as 10 million individual bacterialorganisms per square inch. In other words, a sponge can be 200,000 times dirtier than the surface of toilet seats. Therefore, it's best to replace sponges regularly to prevent the spread of germs and future sickness.

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Anybody telling themselves, "WTF am I supposed to do now?!" Well, you aren't alone. Spread the word to your loved ones (but not the germs).